ProtectKarpal says the Oct 18 deadline has passed and the environment department’s records show no new EIA submission from PLB Engineering Bhd since March.
The Protect Karpal Singh Drive Action Committee (ProtectKarpal) said a check on the environment department’s online database on Oct 26 showed that the last environmental impact assessment (EIA) submitted by PLB Engineering Bhd was received on March 18 and marked “not approved”.
It said no subsequent submission was recorded, while a phone enquiry to the department confirmed that no new EIA had been submitted.
“Five rejected EIA submissions, repeated extensions and an expired deadline demand a decisive response, not further delays,” it said in a statement.
“Chow must honour his pledge – no more extensions. The chief minister must honour his word. A final deadline cannot be repeatedly redefined to accommodate a developer’s inability to meet regulatory requirements.”
The Oct 18 deadline was the latest extension granted to PLB, which had received multiple extensions since the project’s joint development agreement was signed in 2020.
The environment department has rejected PLB’s EIA five times.
Chow had in June last year assured residents that there would be no further extension if PLB failed to obtain EIA approval by Feb 26.
The RM1 billion project involves rehabilitating the old Jelutong landfill and reclaiming 28.3ha of coastal land beside Karpal Singh Drive.
The landfill, about 3km from George Town’s heritage centre, has been used since the early 1970s. Only construction debris and garden waste have been allowed there since 2002.
The residents had previously called for the reclamation to be dropped, saying the original plan was to rehabilitate the landfill and provide green space.
ProtectKarpal also called on the state government to establish a formal mechanism for residents of Bandar Sri Pinang and Jelutong to participate in shaping any rehabilitation plan.
The group cited the landslide at Taman Seri Rambai in Paya Terubong on Oct 25, which killed a 73-year-old doctor, as a factor to consider.
“While the precise causes of the landslide require independent investigation, the lesson for Jelutong is clear – residents’ experiences and local knowledge must be treated as essential evidence in environmental decision-making, not dismissed as obstacles to
development,” it said.
ProtectKarpal said residents living near the landfill had also experienced adverse effects on their health and living environment.
“Those who bear the consequences must have a meaningful voice in deciding the solutions,” they said. - FMT
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